Creating a Home Spa

From product selection to the Zen details, here's the essential guide to the ultimate bath design

There's something transcendent about a truly luxurious bathroom—but you don't have to go to a four-star resort to get the experience. We went to interior designer Kyle Timothy Blood, of Kyle Timothy Home in East Hampton, New York, and Eddy Doumas, owner of Worth Interiors in Vail, Colorado, for their ideas on creating a spa feeling in your own home.

Soup Up Your Tub

Mention the words luxury and bath, and most people's minds turn immediately to the tub. "I steer my clients toward freestanding tubs because I think they're sexier than undermounts with miles of cold countertops," says Doumas. "You can add a beautiful piece of furniture and a basket for towels to the floor space you save." Whether you prefer the romance of a claw-foot tub or the extravagance of a marble surround, make sure your tub selection has adequate length and depth for comfortable bathing. The newest programmable tubs can automatically set the desired water level and temperature for up to three different bathers and have it ready at the touch of a button.

Add to the experience with chromatherapy, using colored lights in and around your tub to create an atmosphere to match your mood. Then consider adding air jets. Unlike the traditional targeted water jets, these can create a range of sensations—from delicate fingers to a rushing mountain stream—by emitting tiny effervescent bubbles. Plus, they're less noisy than water-jet versions.

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Enhance Your Daily Routine

Another key to getting a spa feeling at home is to look at what features you use the most. In Doumas's opinion, a "killer shower" is the core of an indulgent bathroom. "Tubs are nice, but a shower is what you use every day." Choose a showerhead that adjusts to your preferred water pressure and, if you're remodeling, consider widening the space to give yourself room to maneuver. "A shower should have lots of space—whether one or two people are using it," he says.

You can further customize your space with steam options or a combination of showerhead and wall-mounted body sprays. Despite the lure of a warm water soak, Blood finds that homeowners are shifting away from the "rain forest showerhead" to water-saving fixtures. "By choosing one of these, you can still have luxury while saving water and money." You might also consider these budget-friendly quick fixes: Clear the shower stall of clutter and corral products into one designated area, and opt for a light-colored or translucent shower curtain to brighten the space.

For Blood, a "gracious, deep sink" with plenty of counter space is critical. "It's the site of daily rituals where men shave and women put on their makeup," says Blood. "It's the first thing you use in the morning and the last place you are at night. It shouldn't look like the kitchen."

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Add Warmth

Whether you're stepping out of the tub or shower, nothing beats wrapping a warm towel around your body and feeling heated tiles beneath your feet. Consider wall-mounted radiator/towel warmers that will raise the room temperature while giving your towels that fresh-from-the-dryer feel. Some designers are solving the cold towel dilemma by installing warming drawers—long a kitchen staple—right into the vanity.

"Radiant heat floors are another inexpensive way to add luxury to your bath," says Blood. This can be accomplished with an electric grid system or with water hoses. "If you are building from the ground up and have solar panels, water hoses are the greener solution. For retrofits, electric is easier." A programmable remote control can turn the floor heat on just as your alarm goes off and you head to the bathroom. If all else fails, trade a thin bath mat for an ultra-plush one.

Beyond the Basics

Using candles and oils for bathtime aromatherapy is a no-brainer, but take it a step further by selecting a showerhead that allows you to add the essential oils of your choice directly to it. Music can also enhance your experience. Place waterproof speakers in or near the shower and bath, or install entertainment components like surround-sound speakers, a radio and a CD player directly into the tub or stall.

You could even install a television in your bathroom, with a transparent mirror mounted over it that disappears for the morning news and reappears when you're ready to shave—but the experts are split on this feature. "Your bathroom should be a place you can go to get away from the world," says Blood. "If you need to watch something, get a fireplace."

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